Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Police violence cases spurring CT proposals for body cameras

  • Washington
  • by Ana Radelat
  • May 18, 2015
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

Washington – A rash of cases involving police violence against young black men — most recently including the death of a Baltimore man in police custody  — has bolstered the case for body-worn police video cameras both in Connecticut and Washington.

In Washington, the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on the use of police body video recorders, and on President Obama’s proposal that the federal

Police wearing body cameras in the United Kingdom.

West Midlands Police photo

Police wearing body cameras in the United Kingdom.

government help local law enforcement agencies pay for them.

Meanwhile, several Connecticut police departments, including those in Bridgeport, Hartford and South Windsor, are looking into the possibility of obtaining the cameras. There’s also a bill pending in the state legislature that would establish pilot programs in a small, a medium and a large Connecticut police department.

Obama said he wanted American cops to wear body cameras in December after the police-involved deaths of black men in Ferguson, Mo., and New York City. After that there were high-profile cases of police-involved deaths of black men in North Charleston, S.C.; Tulsa, Okla.; Cleveland, Ohio; and Baltimore, adding impetus to the issue.

Earlier this month, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote the Republican head of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, asking for full funding of Obama’s request for $263 million to pay for a three- year grant program that would help police departments purchase body cameras.

Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says the body cameras have been shown to reduce the use of force by police officers by as much as 60 percent, reduce citizen complaints by as much as 88 percent, and reduce the likelihood of false complaints against officers.

“We must ensure that state and local law enforcement agencies have the tools and guidance needed to develop and implement strong and effective body worn camera programs, and I am pleased that the Senate Judiciary Committee is looking closely at this issue,” he told the Connecticut Mirror. “Recent tragic experiences in Ferguson, Cleveland and Baltimore all support increased investment in this technology by state and local law enforcement. “

The Branford Police Department already uses body cameras.

But Joseph Dooley, the president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, cautioned that the technology won’t solve all problems and has its  own challenges — besides a high cost.

“The general feeling is that they are not the complete answer, but can provide some transparency,” said Dooley, who is chief of Southern Connecticut State University’s police force.

He said there are still several unresolved questions concerning the use of the cameras, including where to store the terabytes of data collected and how to cope with the fact that the cameras are an evolving technology and can become quickly outdated.

“But they have their place,” Dooley said. “As time goes by, more and more [police] departments will have them.”

 Privacy concerns

In a recent study, the non-profit Police Executive Research Forum said, “The decision to implement body-worn cameras should not be entered into lightly.”

The forum said the emergence of body-worn cameras has already had an impact on policing, and this impact will only increase as more agencies adopt the technology. But it warned that once an agency “goes down the road” of deploying body-worn cameras — and once the public comes to expect the availability of video records — “it will become increasingly difficult to have second thoughts or to scale back a body-worn camera program.”

“By facing the challenges and expense of purchasing and implementing a body-worn camera system, developing policies, and training its officers in how to use the cameras, a department creates a reasonable expectation that members of the public and the news media will want to review the actions of officers,” the study said.

The issue of body-worn cameras has also raised privacy concerns.

The study recommended police turn off their cameras during strip searches, interviews with suspects or other sensitive situations.

But the Police Research Forum, which has been invited to testify at Tuesday’s  Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, said “with certain limited exceptions…body-worn camera video footage should be made available to the public upon request — not only because the videos are public records, but also because doing so enables police departments to demonstrate transparency and openness in their interactions with members of the community.”

The forum also recommended agencies have “clear and consistent protocols” for releasing recorded data to the public and the news media and that each agency’s policy be in compliance with the state’s public disclosure, or Freedom of Information Act, laws.

A coalition of civil rights and civil groups including the NAACP and the ACLU has issued a set of guidelines that recommends prohibiting police officers from viewing body camera footage before filing their reports so the reports are not influenced by the footage.

The coalition also asks police to develop policies with the help of the public, to avoid using facial recognition and other biometric technology in examining the footage, and to set limits on how long data is retained

They coalition also recommends the footage obtained be widely available for public and media review rather than remain solely under police control.

Despite the challenges, there’s evidence body cameras may become ubiquitous in police work.

“We’re very interested in this technology, and believe that it can help keep our kids, our families, and our police officers safe,” said Brett Broesder, spokesman for Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch. “There is a significant financial investment, so it is important to start the conversation early with elected leaders, community members, and with the police union.”

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ana Radelat Ana has written about politics and policy in Washington, D.C.. for Gannett, Thompson Reuters and UPI. She was a special correspondent for the Miami Herald, and a regular contributor to The New York TImes, Advertising Age and several other publications. She has also worked in broadcast journalism, for CNN and several local NPR stations. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Journalism.

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
Capitol cop: ‘I don’t trust the people above me’
by Joaquin Sapien and Joshua Kaplan | ProPublica

How failures of leadership put Capitol cops at risk; allowed rioters to get dangerously close to members of Congress.

Miguel Cardona is one step closer to becoming next U.S. education secretary
by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

In a swift meeting, senators voted 17 to 5 to forward Cardona's nomination to the U.S. Senate for final approval.

Two decades in the making, Rosa DeLauro’s plan to cut child poverty in half is on the brink of passing
by Chabeli Carrazana | The 19th

Since 2003, Rep. Rosa DeLauro has pushed to expand the child tax credit to the nation’s poorest children.

The return of the regulators
by Jesse Eisinger | ProPublica

So far in the Biden administration, Americans have been treated to an unusual sight: regulators who believe in regulation.

A CT gun safety measure, Ethan’s Law, is before Congress
by Mark Pazniokas

Connecticut's congressional delegation launched a new effort Wednesday to pass a federal version of Ethan's Law.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion How do we show that we value teachers? By listening to them.
by Sana Shaikh

When I was graduating college, my friends’ futures were brimming with impressive labels: Google, Facebook, McKinsey, Bain, PhD, MD, Fulbrights – the list of professional excellence was seemingly never-ending. When I said that I was becoming a teacher, I got puzzled looks – “Why would you be a teacher?” “If you can’t do, teach,” I heard. The nonchalance about my professional trajectory was unsettling. What’s more? Nothing has changed in the last ten years.

Opinion Sports betting in Connecticut: Can’t all the brands just get along?
by Bill Field

When it comes to legalized sports betting in Connecticut, it’s time that all of the parties gathered in a room and hammered out an agreement that works for everyone. The adage of everyone benefiting from a rising tide hasn’t resonated in the past two and half years. 

Opinion COVID-19 will push nursing home design forward
by Myles R. Brown

Over 40 percent of American deaths attributed to COVID-19 have been nursing home residents. Outdated nursing home designs contributed to the scale of this tragedy in Connecticut. Many design changes that could have prevented the spread of COVID-19 were already needed to improve the well-being of nursing home residents. The pandemic has made these issues impossible to ignore.

Opinion Let gig economy workers pursue options
by Nicole Petruzzi

In response to your February 22 story, “In an evolving economy, lawmakers take roles once played by unions:” Like many Connecticut workers, I struggle to make ends meet for my family, even when working full time. This last year has been a particularly hard time. I started looking for a part-time job to supplement my income, but I was worried that even something part-time would take away precious and needed time with my family.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO